Infusion pump system and method

ABSTRACT

Some embodiments of an infusion pump system may be configured to allow the user to communicate with the infusion pump system using voice or image input. Optionally, particular embodiments can interpret the voice or image input using speech or image recognition capabilities. By incorporating speech or image recognition equipment within the infusion pump system, user interactions with the pump system can be enhanced and simplified.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This document relates to an infusion pump system, such as a portable infusion pump system for dispensing insulin or another medicine.

BACKGROUND

Pump devices are commonly used to deliver one or more fluids to a targeted individual. For example, a medical infusion pump device may be used to deliver a medicine to a patient as part of a medical treatment. The medicine that is delivered by the infusion pump device can depend on the condition of the patient and the desired treatment plan. For example, infusion pump devices have been used to deliver insulin to the vasculature of diabetes patients so as to regulate blood-glucose levels.

Users of infusion pump devices often need to communicate with the infusion pump via a user interface to control the operations of the infusion pump in a safe and effective manner. For example, a user may press a series of buttons on the user interface to enter food intake data into the infusion pump, such as a number of grams of carbohydrates that is indicative of a recently or soon-to-be consumed meal. The food intake data can be used in conjunction with other parameters stored by the infusion pump system to calculate a suggested bolus dosage of insulin based on the grams of carbohydrates entered by the user. In another example, a user may enter information into the infusion pump system via a user interface that indicates that the user is going to perform a level of physical exercise. In some circumstances, the infusion pump system may reduce the amount of a planned dispensation of insulin in response to the exercise information entered by the user.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments of an infusion pump system may be configured to receive user input at the infusion pump system using voice input. Some such embodiments can interpret the user's voice input using speech recognition technology, and in response to the user's voice input, the infusion pump system can automatically perform one or more tasks (e.g., without additional user intervention). By incorporating speech recognition equipment within the infusion pump system, user communications with the pump system can be enhanced and simplified. In particular embodiments, the infusion pump system may further include a capability to perform natural language processing of the user's voice input, thereby providing an infusion pump system configured to correlate any one of a number of spoken phrases into selected tasks. In addition or in the alternative, some embodiments of an infusion pump system may be configured to allow the user to provide input to the infusion pump system using photographic images. For example, the user may take a photo of a soon-to-be-consumed meal, and the photo may be provided as food intake data that is input to the infusion pump system for purposes of performing one or more tasks by the infusion pump system. In response, the infusion pump system may, for example, use image recognition technology to estimate the carbohydrate and other nutritional contents of the food depicted in the photo and then suggest a particular bolus dosage of insulin (or other medicine) corresponding to the food in the photo.

In particular embodiments described herein, a medical infusion pump system may include a portable housing that defines a space to receive a medicine. The system may also include a pump drive system to dispense medicine from the portable housing when the medicine is received in the space. In some embodiments, the system may also include control circuitry that communicates control signals to the pump drive system to control dispensation of the medicine from the portable housing. The system may also include a speech recognition system that is in communication with the control circuitry. The control circuitry may select one or more tasks to be performed by the infusion pump system in response to the speech recognition system receiving a user's voice input.

In some embodiments of the medical infusion pump system that includes the speech recognition system, at least a portion of the speech recognition system may be stored in one or more computer-readable memory devices at a remote server system, and the control circuitry may be configured to communicate with the remote server system to use the speech recognition system. Optionally, at least a portion of the speech recognition system may be disposed in the portable housing. Further, the control circuitry may be housed in a controller housing that is removably attachable to the portable housing, and at least a portion of the speech recognition system may be disposed in the controller housing. In some embodiments, the speech recognition system may optionally comprise a first subsystem and a second subsystem. At least a portion of the first subsystem may be stored in one or more computer-readable memory devices at a remote server system that communicates with the control circuitry. In addition, at least a portion of the second subsystem may be stored in one or more computer-readable memory devices in the portable housing or in a controller device housing in which the control circuitry is housed and that is removably attachable to the portable housing. In some embodiments, the medical infusion pump system may also include a voice synthesizer for outputting audible human language communications from the infusion pump system. In particular embodiments, the medical infusion pump system may include a remote control device that is separate from the portable housing and that houses the control circuitry. The remote control device may be configured to wirelessly communicate with a wireless communication device housed in the portable housing, and the remote control device may include a microphone for receiving the voice input. Further, in some embodiments the medical infusion pump optionally includes a voice synthesizer for outputting audible human language communications from the remote control device.

In particular embodiments described herein, a medical infusion pump system may include a portable housing that defines a space to receive a medicine. The system may also include a pump drive system to dispense medicine from the portable housing when the medicine is received in the space. In some embodiments, the system may also include control circuitry that communicates control signals to the pump drive system to control dispensation of the medicine from the portable housing. The system may also include an image recognition system in communication with the control circuitry. The control circuitry may select one or more tasks to be performed by the infusion pump system in response to the image recognition system receiving user input comprising a user-provided digital image.

In some embodiments of the medical infusion pump system that includes the image recognition system, at least a portion of the image recognition system may be stored in one or more computer-readable memory devices at a remote server system, and the control circuitry may be configured to communicate with the remote server system to use the image recognition system. In particular embodiments, at least a portion of the image recognition system may be disposed in the portable housing. Optionally, the control circuitry may be housed in a controller housing that is removably attachable to the portable housing, and at least a portion of the image recognition system may be disposed in the controller housing. In some embodiments, the image recognition system may comprise a first subsystem and a second subsystem. At least a portion of the first subsystem may be stored in one or more computer-readable memory devices at a remote server system that communicates with the control circuitry, and at least a portion of the second subsystem may be stored in one or more computer-readable memory devices in the portable housing or in a controller device housing in which the control circuitry is housed and that is removably attachable to the portable housing. Optionally, the medical infusion pump system that includes the image recognition system may include a voice synthesizer for outputting audible human language communications from the infusion pump system. The system may also optionally include a remote control device that is separate from the portable housing and that houses the control circuitry. The remote control device may be configured to wirelessly communicate with a wireless communication device housed in the portable housing, and the remote control device may include a camera device for receiving the digital image. Some such embodiments may include a voice synthesizer for outputting audible human language communications from the remote control device.

Some embodiments described herein may include a method of controlling a portable infusion pump system. The method may include receiving a user's voice input that is indicative of a task associated with using a portable infusion pump system, and controlling the portable infusion pump system to change an operation of the portable infusion pump system based upon the user's voice input. The method may optionally include, prompting a user via a user interface display to confirm the operation change of the portable infusion pump system in response to receiving the user's voice input. In some embodiments, the operation change may optionally comprise calculating or initiating a bolus dispensation of a medicine from the portable infusion pump system.

Some embodiments described herein may include another method of controlling a portable infusion pump system. The method may include receiving user input comprising a digital image that is indicative of a food item consumed to be consumed by the user of the portable infusion pump system, and controlling the portable infusion pump system to change an operation of the portable infusion pump system based upon the user input comprising the digital image. The method may optionally include, prompting a user via a user interface display to confirm the operation change of the portable infusion pump system in response to receiving the user input comprising the digital image. In some embodiments, the operation change may optionally comprise calculating or initiating a bolus dispensation of a medicine from the portable infusion pump system.

Some or all of the embodiments described herein may provide one or more of the following advantages. First, some embodiments of the infusion pump system may be configured to receive user input via speech recognition technology. Second, some embodiments of the infusion pump system may be configured to receive user input via image recognition technology. Third, some embodiments of an infusion pump system equipped with speech or image recognition technology may facilitate convenient user input of information to the infusion pump system. Third, the safety and efficacy of an infusion pump system may be enhanced because the convenient manner of inputting data to the infusion pump using speech or image recognition may facilitate more timely and complete data entry by the user. Fourth, in some circumstances, some users who may be unable (mentally or physically) to reliably operate a conventional push-button user interface of an infusion pump system may instead be served by embodiments of the system described herein, which can permit such users to reliably input data to an infusion pump system using the speech or image recognition communication interface. Fifth, the infusion pump system equipped with speech or image recognition capabilities may be configured to be portable, wearable, and (in some circumstances) concealable. For example, a user can conveniently wear the infusion pump system on the user's skin under clothing or can carry the pump system in the user's pocket (or other portable location) while receiving the medicine dispensed from the pump device.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram depicting the use of an infusion pump system equipped with speech recognition capabilities, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart describing a process of using an infusion pump system including with speech recognition equipment, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an infusion pump system including with speech recognition equipment, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a diagram depicting the use of an infusion pump system equipped with image recognition capabilities, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a diagram depicting the use an infusion pump system equipped with natural language speech recognition capabilities, in accordance with some embodiments.

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, some embodiments of an infusion pump system 10 can include speech recognition equipment for purposes of receiving and responding to a user's voice input. The infusion pump system 10 may include, among other elements, a control device 50 and a pump device 60 that receives communications from the control device 50. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, the control device 50 wirelessly communicates with the pump device 60, but the system 10 can be implemented using a control device that is removably attached to a corresponding pump device (e.g., for hard-wired electrical communication) or using a control device that is housed together with the pump device (e.g., in a single portable construct). In one example, the infusion pump system 10 can be configured to perform a series of steps A through F in response to a user's voice input 16. By incorporating voice recognition capabilities within the infusion pump system 10, user communications with the portable pump 60 can be enhanced and simplified. As a result, the accuracy and completeness of the data entered by the user into the portable pump 60 can be improved, and the user may experience greater convenience and time efficiency during interactions with the infusion pump system 10.

In this embodiment, the infusion pump system 10 includes the remote control device 50 in communication with the portable pump 60, which is used to dispense insulin or another medication to a user 15 via an infusion set 70 attached to and penetrating the user's skin 20. In some embodiments, the portable pump 60 optionally includes a user interface 62 comprised of input devices such as buttons 63 a, 63 b, 64 a, 64 b, 64 c and output devices such as display 65. In addition, in this embodiment the user 15 can communicate with the infusion pump system 10 by providing voice input, such as the example verbal statement 16 depicted in FIG. 1. Such a verbal statement can be received by voice recognition equipment housed in the control device 50, in the pump device 60, or both. In particular embodiments, the portable pump 60 may also include a wireless communications circuit 40 that facilitates short-range wireless communications 45 between the internal control circuitry of the portable pump 60 and the external remote control device 50.

The infusion pump system 10 is configured to controllably dispense a medicine to be infused into the tissue or vasculature of a targeted individual, such as a human or animal patient. In some embodiments, the portable pump 60 includes the housing structure 66 that defines a cavity in which a fluid cartridge (not shown) can be slidably received. For example, the fluid cartridge can be a carpule that is either user-fillable or is preloaded with insulin or another medicine for use in the treatment of Diabetes (e.g., Byetta®, Symlin®, or others). Such a cartridge may be supplied, for example, by Eli Lilly and Co. of Indianapolis, Ind. Other examples of medicines that can be contained in the fluid cartridge include: pain relief drugs, hormone therapy, blood pressure treatments, anti-emetics, osteoporosis treatments, or other injectable medicines. The fluid cartridge may have other configurations. For example, in some embodiments the fluid cartridge may comprise a reservoir that is integral with the pump housing structure 66 (e.g., the fluid cartridge can be defined by one or more walls of the pump housing structure 66 that surround a plunger to define a reservoir in which the medicine is injected or otherwise received).

Still referring to FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the portable pump 60 optionally includes a cap device 68 to retain the fluid cartridge in the cavity of the housing structure 66 and to penetrate a septum of the fluid cartridge for purposes of establishing fluid communication with the infusion set 70. The portable pump 60 includes a drive system that advances a plunger (not shown in FIG. 1) in the fluid cartridge so as to dispense fluid therefrom. In some embodiments, the dispensed fluid exits the fluid cartridge, passes through a flexible tube 72 of the infusion set 70 to a cannula housing 74 retained to the user's skin 20 by a skin adhesive patch 78. The dispensed fluid can enter through the skin 20 via a cannula 76 attached to the underside of the cannula housing 74.

In some embodiments, the infusion pump system 10 can be configured to supply scheduled basal dosages of insulin (or another medication) along with user-selected bolus dosages. The basal delivery rate can be selected to maintain a user's blood glucose level in a targeted range during normal activity throughout the day. The user-selected bolus deliveries may provide substantially larger amounts of insulin in particular circumstances in which the user consumed (or will consume) carbohydrates (e.g., during a meal) or in which the user's blood glucose level requires a significant downward correction. In some embodiments, the infusion pump system 10 can suggest a bolus dosage to the user in a manner that accounts for the user's food intake, the user's recent blood glucose level (e.g., manually input into the portable pump 60 by the user, detected from an integral blood test strip analyzer, wirelessly transmitted to the portable pump 60 from an external blood strip reader device, wirelessly transmitted to the portable pump 60 from an body-worn continuous glucose monitoring device, or the like), the rate of change in the user's blood glucose level, and previously delivered insulin that has not acted on the user. For example, a user can enter a carbohydrate value indicative of a meal into the portable pump 60, and in response thereto, the portable pump 60 can output a suggested bolus dosage to the user. In another example, as will be described further below, the user can provide a voice input that identifies food items that the user will consume, and the infusion pump system 10 can use speech recognition technology to determine a suggested bolus dosage that corresponds to the food items.

In some embodiments, the infusion pump system 10 may modify a bolus suggestion (e.g., a bolus delivery in conjunction with a meal) in response to certain circumstances. For example, the infusion pump system 10 may decrease or otherwise modify a post-meal bolus delivery based on a rapidly falling blood glucose level, a current blood glucose level that is below a threshold limit, based on an increased level of physical activity, or the like.

The infusion pump system 10 can be configured to be portable and can be wearable and concealable. For example, a user can conveniently wear some or all of the infusion pump system 10 on the user's skin (e.g., using skin adhesive) underneath the user's clothing or carry the portable pump 60 or remote control device 50 in the user's pocket (or other portable location) while receiving the medicine dispensed from the infusion pump system 10. As such, the pump system 10 can be used to deliver medicine to the tissues or vasculature of the user in a portable, concealable, and discrete manner.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the portable pump 60 includes the user interface 62 that permits a user to monitor and control the operation of the infusion pump system 10. In some embodiments, the user interface 62 includes a display 65 and the user-selectable buttons (e.g., five buttons 63 a, 63 b, 64 a, 64 b, and 64 c in this embodiment) that are in electrical communication with the control circuitry of the portable pump 60. For example, the display 65 may be used to communicate a number of status indicators, alarms, settings, and/or menu options for the infusion pump system 10. In some embodiments, the user may press one or more of the buttons 63 a, 63 b, 64 a, 64 b, and 64 c to shuffle through a number of menus or program screens that show particular status indicators, settings, and/or data (e.g., review data that shows the medicine dispensing rate, the amount of medicine delivered during the last bolus, the delivery time of the last bolus, the total amount of medicine dispensed in a given time period, the amount of medicine scheduled to be dispensed at a particular time or date, the approximate amount of medicine remaining in the cartridge, or the like).

In some embodiments, the user can adjust the settings or otherwise program the portable pump 60 by pressing one or more buttons 63 a, 63 b, 64 a, 64 b, and 64 c of the user interface 62. For example, in embodiments of the infusion pump system 10 configured to dispense insulin, the user may press one or more of the buttons 63 a, 63 b, 64 a, 64 b, and 64 c to change the dispensation rate of insulin or to request that a bolus of insulin be dispensed immediately, at a scheduled later time, over a period of time, or following a particular time-based profile. In another example, the user may use the buttons 63 a, 63 b, 64 a, 64 b, and 64 c to manually input information such as the user's current blood glucose level (e.g., as measured by an external blood glucose meter), the current rate of change in the user's blood glucose level, or the like into the portable pump 60.

As an alternative to, or in conjunction with, pressing one or more buttons 63 a, 63 b, 64 a, 64 b, and 64 c of the user interface 62 to adjust or program the infusion pump system 10, the example infusion pump system 10 can receive voice input from the user. The use of speech recognition equipment (housed in the control device 50, in the pump device 60, or both) provides an additional functionality that can enhance and simplify user interactions with the portable pump 60. For instance, using speech recognition, the need to manually actuate multiple buttons 63 a, 63 b, 64 a, 64 b, and 64 c in a specific order for purposes shuffling through menus may be eliminated or otherwise reduced in some circumstances. In one example, as depicted in FIG. 1, the user of infusion pump system 10 has consumed, or will soon consume, a bagel and orange juice. As such, the user can cause the infusion pump system to initiate a task in response to the voice input (dispensing a corresponding bolus of insulin to counteract the effects of the intake of the bagel and orange juice). The bolus dispensation of insulin may be intended to cause the user's blood glucose level to remain within a target range. To begin the process, the user 15 can speak the statement 16 that identifies the food to be consumed. Such a verbal statement can be receive by a component of the voice recognition equipment, such as a microphone device 51 housed in the control device 50 (or, optionally, a component of the voice recognition equipment housed in the pump device 60, such as a microphone device 61). In response to receiving the voice input, the infusion pump system 10 can interpret the statement 16, determine a recommended bolus dispensation, and present the recommendation to the user 15 for confirmation. Upon receipt of user confirmation, the infusion pump system 10 initiates or schedules the bolus dispensation task. By incorporating such voice recognition capabilities within the infusion pump system 10, user communications with the portable pump 60 can be enhanced and simplified. As a result, the accuracy and completeness of the data entered by the user into the portable pump 60 can be improved, and the user can experience greater convenience and time efficiency.

Still referring to FIG. 1, in this example at step A, the user 15 speaks the statement 16 that reflects a task or set of tasks that the user 15 wants the infusion pump system 10 to perform. For example, the user 15 makes the statement 16, “I am going to eat a bagel and orange juice.” As will be described further, the infusion pump system 10 will receive and process the statement 16 and recommend a bolus dispensation of insulin to compensate for the bagel and orange juice to be consumed by the user 15.

In this example, the user 15 has made a statement 16 that identifies types of food that will be consumed, but it should be understood from the description herein that many other types of statements corresponding to other infusion pump tasks can be similarly initiated using voice input. For instance, in other non-limiting examples of the types of statements that can be made to initiate tasks, the user 15 may speak a command to “stop the pump,” “start the pump,” or “stop the bolus.” Further, the user 15 may speak a command to “start a temporary basal rate of 50% for 3 hours,” or “I am going to exercise for 1 hour.” In still further examples, the user 15 may speak commands such as: “prime the infusion set,” “my blood glucose level is 130,” “I am going to sleep now,” “display estimated battery life,” “display estimated medicine expiration time,” “snooze all alerts for 30 minutes,” “how much insulin do I have on board,” “how long have I been using this infusion set,” “what time is it,” “change to basal pattern B,” “change to my weekend basal pattern,” “soccer practice starts in 30 minutes” (which would be linked to a particular pre-programmed temporary basal pattern), “give that bolus as a square-wave bolus,” “give that bolus as a 4-hour combo bolus,” “remind me to bolus in an hour,” “remind me to check my blood sugar in an hour,” “remind me to eat lunch at 11:30,” “blocked set alarm acknowledged,” and the like. It should be recognized that the user 15 can provide a wide variety of types of statements to initiate a wide variety of tasks by the infusion pump system 10, and that the examples provided here are merely illustrative. In some embodiments, as will be described further in reference to FIG. 5, a natural language processing module can be implemented in infusion pump system 10 to further enhance the speech recognition capabilities of the infusion pump system 10.

Still referring to FIG. 1, in this example, the verbal statement 16 is received by the microphone 51 of the remote control device 50. In some embodiments, the user may press a button on the control device 50 or otherwise prompt the control device 50 to prepare for receiving the voice input. The remote control device 50 can include electronic circuitry for converting the statement 16 to an audio signal (e.g., an “audio file,” “waveform,” or “sample”) that corresponds to the statement 16. The audio signal corresponding to the statement 16 can be saved (temporarily or permanently) in a computer-readable memory device housed in the control device 50, a computer-readable memory device housed in the pump device 60, or both.

In this embodiment the control device 50 is depicted as a smart phone device, but it should be understood from the description herein that, in other embodiments, the control device 50 can be implemented in the form of devices other than a smart phone device. Some other example devices that can be used similarly to the remote control device 50 can include, but are not limited to, a personal computer, a tablet computing device, a blood glucose meter device (e.g., an external blood strip reader), a continuous glucose meter device, a wearable computing device, a PDA, or a custom remote device. In still other embodiments, the control device is not a remote device, but instead is included as part of, or mechanically attached together with, the pump device. For instance, in such embodiments the pump device of the infusion pump system can be equipped with the capabilities to perform the functions described herein in regard to the remote control device 50. Further, in some embodiments certain operations or parts of certain operations may be performed at a remote server system, including a cloud-based server system, rather than completely on a personal computing device such as the remote control device 50. Accordingly, the remote control device 50, or equivalent, can be connected to a network such as the internet or an intranet system. Such a division of tasks may provide better process optimization, computational efficiency, and response time.

Still referring to FIG. 1, in this example at step B, the infusion pump system 10 performs a speech recognition function in response to receiving the voice input 16. In some implementations, the speech recognition function provides a repeatable process of translating a voice utterance to a text transcription using an automated speech recognition (“ASR”) system. In some ASR systems, acoustic and language models can be used by speech recognition engines to statistically analyze an encoded voice utterance in order to create one or more likely text strings that reflect the sounds of the speaker. Some ASR systems may use phonetic dictionaries (e.g., lists of words and their phonetic spellings) when performing speech recognition. Such phonetic dictionaries have been compiled by including pronunciation guides from standard language dictionaries, and by manually labeling acoustic examples of various words spoken by various speakers. In some embodiments, the ASR system can use a language model that includes a large vocabulary statistical language model capable of transcribing complex user utterances. Many speech recognition engines have a group of parameters that may be adjusted to change the way that a voice utterance is analyzed.

Using an ASR system in the remote control device 50, or remotely located at a server in communication with the remote control device 50, or in a combination of tasks among the remote control device 50 and at a remote server, the audio signal from the voice input 16 can be transcribed to one or more candidate text transcriptions correlating to the audio signal of statement 16. In some embodiments, the control device 60 can generate speech recognition confidence values for the candidate transcriptions that are generated. In particular embodiments, the transcription with the highest confidence value may be selected by the ASR system as the designated transcription. Other techniques may also be used to create transcription(s) in response to the voice input 16, and to select which candidate transcription to use as the designated transcription. In some circumstances, no candidate transcription having a confidence value that surpasses a threshold confidence level is identified. In some such circumstances, the control device 50 may request clarification from the user 15, or may request more information from the user 15. Such requests may be presented to the user 15 audibly using voice synthesis at the remote control device 50, or visually by presenting an indication on the display of the remote control device 50, or by a combination of audible and visual indicators.

Still referring to FIG. 1, in this example at step C, the text transcription(s) of the speech recognition process from step B are compared to a compilation of tasks in a task database 80 indicative of available tasks to be performed by the infusion pump system 10. Such a comparison function (at step C) can be useful for determining the task to be performed by the pump system 10 that most likely corresponds the voice input 16 from the user 15. In some embodiments, the task database 80 is stored in a computer-readable memory device housed in the remote control device 50. However, the task database 80 can also be stored in a computer-readable memory device housed in the portable pump 60, stored in a computer-readable memory device housed at a remote server system in communication with the remote control device 50 or the portable pump 60, or at a combination of such computer-readable memory locations (e.g., a distributed database configuration). In this embodiment, the task database 80 is a repository that stores an extensive number of tasks available to be performed by the pump system corresponding to a variety of types of voice input statements, such as statement 16. The transcription(s) of the voice input from step B can be compared to the tasks listed in the task database 80 to find matching task(s) to be performed by the pump system 10. In some embodiments, a confidence level for the match between the transcription(s) and the task(s) can be determined. Optionally, the task with the highest confidence level can be automatically selected for implementation by the control device 50, the pump device 60, or both. In particular embodiments, if no task is determined at step C with a confidence level that surpasses a threshold level, or if multiple tasks have confidence levels that are within a differentiation threshold level of each other, the user 15 is prompted to verify which task should be implemented (e.g., presented in visual and/or audio output via the user interface of the control device 50 or the pump device 60 with a request for clarification or more information as described above). In some such cases, the user 15 may be presented with the task having the highest confidence level and the user 15 may be prompted to confirm that task should be implemented by the infusion pump system 10 (e.g., the prompt for verification from the user can be presented in visual and/or audio output via the user interface of the control device 50 or the pump device 60).

Still referring to FIG. 1, in this example at step D, the selected task from step C is characterized in preparation for presentation to the user 15 (for subsequent user confirmation). Depending on the task, additional information may be acquired from a database 90 as a part of the preparation step. The database 90, as with the task database 80, can be stored in one or more computer-readably memory devices housed in various locations including in the remote control device 50, the portable pump 60, a remote server including cloud-based servers, and at a combination of such locations. As depicted by this example in FIG. 1, the database 90 queried by the process at step D can contain nutritional information for a variety of food items. The nutritional information can include, but is not limited to, carbohydrates, fat, protein, and the glycemic index for food items. In some embodiments, the database 90 can also include the user's 15 most current blood glucose reading, an insulin-on-board level, an insulin sensitivity factor for the user 15, bolus delivery preference, and the like. In particular embodiments, some or all of such nutritional information and other data can be considered when the task is being prepared for presentation to the user 15. For example, in response to the statement 16, the nutritional information for a bagel 92 and orange juice 94 can be queried from the database 90. In some embodiments, the data stored in database 90 is customizable by the user 15. For example, the user 15 may make a particular food item, like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich 96, such that it has particular nutritional contents. The user's custom nutritional information can be given preference in the database 90 over the default nutritional information. In some embodiments, as part of the preparation for presenting the task to the user 15, the user 15 may first be presented with a request for additional information. For example, the user 15 may be presented with a request to input a current blood glucose level. After the receipt of such addition information, the preparation for presenting the task to the user 15 can be completed.

Still referring to FIG. 1, in this example at step E, the finalized task to be performed by the infusion pump system is presented to the user 15 for confirmation. The task may be presented to the user 15 audibly using voice synthesis at the control device 50 (or the pump device 60), or visually by presenting an indication on the display of the control device 50 (or the pump device 60), or by a combination of audible and visual indicators at one or both of the control device 50 and the pump device 60. For example, in response to the statement 16, the user 15 is presented with information indicating that the infusion pump system 10 has identified a task related to the user's 15 intent to consume 74 grams of carbohydrates (48 grams from the bagel and 26 grams from the orange juice), and that the infusion pump system 10 recommends a corresponding bolus dispensation of 4.9 Units of insulin. To confirm that task, the user 15 can select “YES” 52 on the remote control device 50. In response to a selection of the “YES” button 52, the control device 50 can communicate with the pump device 60 so as to initiate the dispensation of the bolus dosage (e.g., 4.9 Units in this example), as described below. Or to deny that task, the user 15 can select “NO” 54 on the remote control device 50. Optionally, in response to a selection of the “NO” button 54, the control device 50, can present the user with an option to manually input or verbally speak a specific number for a bolus dosage that is different from the suggested dosage displayed on the screen at step E. Alternatively, or in addition to, the manual selection of “YES” 52 or “NO” 54, the user 15 may speak “yes” or “no” to the remote control device 50 to confirm or deny the task presented.

Still referring to FIG. 1, in this example at step F, the remote control device 50 communicates the task to the portable pump 60 for activation of the portable pump 60 in accordance with the task confirmed by the user 15 (e.g., after the user selected the “YES” button 52). In the example, the display 65 of the portable pump 60 indicates that a bolus dispensation of 4.9 Units has been initiated. In this embodiment, communications between the remote control device 50 and the portable pump 60 are conducted by short-range wireless technologies such as, but not limited to, RF, Bluetooth, NFC, IR, Bluetooth low energy, ANT+, and the like. Accordingly, the portable pump 60 can include a wireless communication circuit 40 that sends and receives data in cooperation with the remote control device 50. In alternative embodiments, the communications between the remote control device 50 and the portable pump 60 can be via a hardwired connection therebetween.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the control circuitry of a medical device (e.g., a portable infusion pump in this embodiment) that includes speech recognition equipment can implement a process 200 of receiving voice input from a user, and controlling the medical device in accordance with task(s) associated with the voice input. Such a process 200, for example, can be implemented by the control circuitry housed in the control device 50, the portable pump 60, or a combination thereof, and other embodiments of infusion pump systems described herein (e.g., FIGS. 3, 4, and 5).

In operation 205, the control circuitry of a medical device can receive voice input from a vocal utterance spoken by a user of the medical device. The voice input can be indicative of a task associated with using the medical device. One example of a medical device to perform operation 205 is depicted in FIG. 1, where the infusion pump system 10 includes the control device 50 that is in communication with the portable pump device 60 of the infusion pump system 10. As explained, the control device 50 can receive the voice input via the microphone 51 located in the remote control device 50. In other embodiments, another type of control device 50 (e.g., a tablet computing device, a blood glucose meter device, a body-worn continuous glucose monitoring device, a custom remote, a removably attachable control device, and the like) can perform the same steps as the remote control device 50, which is implemented in FIG. 1 as a smartphone device. In still further embodiments, no remote control device 50 is included in the infusion pump system 10, and the receipt of the voice input can received directly at the microphone 61 housed in the portable pump device 60.

In operation 210, the voice input is coded to digital format (e.g., an “audio file,” “waveform,” “sample,” and the like) by the control circuitry of the medical device and saved in memory of the medical device. For example, in the context of the infusion pump system 10 of FIG. 1, the remote control device 50 can convert the voice input to digital format and save the digitized voice input in memory.

In operation 215, the digitized voice input is analyzed by the control circuitry of the medical device to determine one or more candidate textual transcriptions corresponding to the voice input. This step of the process 200 can be optionally performed using an ASR system, as explained above in regard to FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the control circuitry of the medical device communicates with a remote server to perform some or all of the ASR system operations.

In operation 220, the control circuitry of the medical device compares the textual transcription(s) from operation 215 to tasks pertaining to the medical device and that are stored in a task database. In some embodiments, the task database is stored in the memory of the medical device. In alternative embodiments, the task database is stored at a remote server system that is accessible by the medical device over a network such as the internet. One or more tasks that are stored in the task database can be identified as candidates to have a correspondence to the textual transcription(s). A statistical confidence level can be generated in regard to the correspondence between the textual transcription(s) and the candidate task(s).

In operation 225, the control circuitry of the medical device compares the statistical confidence level(s) generated in operation 220 to a predetermined threshold confidence level. If one and only one particular task has a statistical confidence level that surpasses the threshold confidence level, that particular task is selected as the task to present to the user, and the process 200 moves to operation 235. However, if no particular task has a statistical confidence level that surpasses the threshold confidence level, or if multiple tasks have statistical confidence level(s) that surpass the threshold confidence level, then the process 200 moves to operation 230. In alternative embodiments, if multiple tasks have statistical confidence level(s) that surpass the threshold confidence level, then the task with the highest confidence level is selected as the task to present to the user. In some such alternative embodiments, the task with the highest confidence level is only selected if the confidence level of the task is greater than the next highest confidence level by more than a predetermined differential threshold value.

In operation 230, the control circuitry of the medical device requests user clarification in regard to the voice input that was previously provided by the user in operation 205. The request for user clarification can be presented audibly to the user by voice synthesis via the medical device, by displaying information on the user interface display of the medical device, or both. In some circumstances, the clarification requested may be in relation to a candidate task that had a statistical confidence level that was determined to be less than the threshold confidence level. For instance, such a clarification request could be, “Do you want to stop the pump?” In another circumstance, the clarification requested may be general, rather than in relation to a candidate task. For example, in that circumstance the clarification request could be, “Your input was not understood—please try again,” or another indication that the voice input should be restated. After requesting user clarification, the process 200 returns to operation 205 and waits for further voice input from the user.

In operation 235, after selecting a task in operation 225, the control circuitry of the medical device characterizes the selected task, as needed, in preparation for presentation to the user for confirmation of the task. For example, some data may need to be obtained and some calculations may need to be performed to prepare the task for presentation to the user. To provide a more specific example, as described in the context of the infusion pump system 10 of FIG. 1, the nutritional content of the food items (bagel and orange juice) were obtained from a database. The nutritional content of the bagel and orange juice were included in the task as presented to the user for confirmation.

In operation 240, the control circuitry of the medical device presents the task to the user for user confirmation. The task can be presented audibly to the user by voice synthesis via the medical device, by displaying information on the user interface display of the medical device, or both. As described in relation to the infusion pump system 10 of FIG. 1, in some embodiments the presentation of the task can include a description of the task and selectable elements on the user interface of the medical device such as buttons or soft-keys corresponding to “YES” and “NO” or the user can provide “yes” or “no” inputs by speaking to the medical device. The user's responsive input is received by the control circuitry of the medical device in operation 245.

In operation 250, the control circuitry of the medical device determines whether the user input received in operation 245 was a confirmation or a denial of the task that was presented to the user. If the user input was a denial of the task that was presented to the user, the process 200 proceeds to operation 230 where user clarification is requested as described above. If the user input was a confirmation of the task that was presented to the user, the process 200 proceeds to operation 255 where the control circuitry of the medical device communicates the task to other portions of the device so as to implement the task. In this embodiment, the control circuitry communicates the task to the pump controller to implement the task. In the context of the infusion pump system 10 of FIG. 1, the operation is exemplified in step F with the remote control device 50 sending a wireless signal 45 to the portable pump 60 to initiate a bolus of 4.9 units of insulin.

Now referring to FIG. 3, various embodiments of a portable infusion pump system 300 can include a pump controller device 360 that is equipped with speech recognition capabilities. As described further herein, the speech recognition process can take place at the pump controller device 360, at a remote server 310 (which can be multiple servers in a system) in communication with the pump controller device 360, or by a combination of both the pump controller device 360 and the remote server 310. Certain items of the infusion pump system 300 are shown with dashed lines to indicate that they are optional or alternative items, as explained below.

The pump controller device 360 includes a control module 361 that can be made up of one or more components. In this embodiment, the control module 361 is configured to communicate control or power signals to the other components of the infusion pump system 300, and to receive inputs and signals therefrom. In some embodiments, the control circuitry can include a main processor board that is in communication with a power supply board. The control circuitry can include at least one processor that coordinates the electrical communication to and from the control module 361 and other components of the pump system 300. For example, the user interface 362 of the pump controller device 360 can include input components (e.g., buttons, touchscreen, microphone, or a combination thereof) and output components (e.g., display screen, speaker, vibratory device, or a combination thereof) that are electrically connected to the control circuitry of the control module 361. In some embodiments, the control module 361 can receive input commands from a user's button selections (e.g., buttons as shown in FIG. 1, 4, or 5), and thereby cause the display device of the user interface 362 to output a number of menus or program screens that show particular settings and data (e.g., review data that shows the medicine dispensing rate, the total amount of medicine dispensed in a given time period, the amount of medicine scheduled to be dispensed at a particular time or date, the approximate amount of medicine remaining the cartridge, the amount of battery life remaining, or the like).

The processor of the control module 361 can be arranged on a main processor circuit board of the control module 361 along with a number of other electrical components such as computer-readable memory devices. The control circuitry can be programmable in that the user or a clinician may provide one or more instructions to adjust a number of settings for the operation of the infusion pump system 300. Such settings may be stored in the memory devices of the control module 361. Furthermore, the control module 361 may include one or more dedicated memory devices that store executable software instructions for the processor. The control module 361 may include other components, such as sensors, that are electrically connected to the main processor board. A rechargeable battery pack (not shown) may provide electrical energy to the control module 361, and to other components of the pump controller device 360 (e.g., user interface 362, speech recognition module 363, and others).

Still referring to FIG. 3, the user interface 362 of the pump controller device 360 permits a user to monitor and control the operation of the pump controller device 360. For example, the user interface 362 can include a display device having an active area that outputs information to a user, and buttons (e.g., actuatable buttons as shown in FIG. 1, 4, or 5, or touchscreen soft-key buttons defined on the display device) that the user can use to provide input. The display device can be used to communicate a number of settings or menu options for the infusion pump system 300. The display may include an active area in which numerals, text, symbols, images, or a combination thereof can be displayed (refer, for example, to FIG. 1). For example, the user may press one or more buttons to shuffle through a number of menus or program screens that show particular settings and data (e.g., review data that shows the medicine dispensing rate, the total amount of medicine dispensed in a given time period, the amount of medicine scheduled to be dispensed at a particular time or date, the approximate amount of medicine remaining in the cartridge, or the like). In some embodiments, the user can adjust the settings or otherwise program the control module 361 via the user interface 362. For example, in embodiments of the infusion pump system 300 configured to dispense insulin, the user may press one or more of the buttons of the user interface 362 to change the dispensation rate of insulin or to request that a bolus of insulin be dispensed immediately or at a scheduled, later time.

The user interface 362 can also include components that facilitate voice communications between the pump controller device 360 and a user. In some embodiments, the user interface 362 includes a microphone (refer, for example, to microphone 51 or microphone 61 in FIG. 1). The microphone can receive voice input from the user, such as when the user wants to initiate a task using the speech recognition capabilities of the infusion pump system 300. Further, in some embodiments, the user interface 362 includes a speaker. The speaker can be used to provide audible communications (e.g., synthesized speech, audible beeps or tones, or the like) from the infusion pump system 300 to the user. For example, the infusion pump system 10 of FIG. 1 provided an audible characterization of the task to the user 15 in step E, and the process 200 of FIG. 2 provided an audible request for clarification to the user in operation 230.

Still referring to FIG. 3, the pump controller device 360, the remote server 310, or both the pump controller device 360 and the remote server 310, can optionally include speech recognition modules 363 and 313, task databases 364 and 314, and food and activity databases 365 and 315 respectively. These subsystems can facilitate voice communications between the pump controller device 360 and a user, for example, as described in reference to FIG. 1. The pump controller device 360 and the remote server 310 can be in communication with each other via a network 330, such as a wireless network, WiFi network, wired network, LAN, intranet, internet, telephone network, and so on—and combinations of such networks. The pump controller device 360 can communicate with the network 330 using a wireless connection 320, or a wired connection, or both a wireless connection 320 and a wired connection. Such wireless communication may occur, for example, via a wireless communication module 367 using radio-frequency, Bluetooth, WiFi, or other such wireless communication methods, and combinations of such methods. The remote server 310 can include one or more processors 312 that can execute instructions embodied in a computer program. The processors 312 can include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer.

In some embodiments of the infusion pump system 300, the pump controller device 360 includes the speech recognition module 363, task database 364, and food and activity database 365, while the remote server 310 may not have analogous sub-systems. In such embodiments, the speech recognition process and other operations for facilitating voice communications between the pump controller device 360 and a user are performed entirely at the pump controller device 360. In alternative embodiments of the infusion pump system 300, the remote server 310 includes speech recognition module 313, task database 314, and food and activity database 315, while the pump controller device 360 does not have analogous sub-systems. In such embodiments, the speech recognition process and other operations for facilitating voice communications between the pump controller device 360 and a user are performed by the remote server 310.

In particular embodiments, both the pump controller device 360 and the remote server 310 include the sub-systems for performing speech recognition and other operations for facilitating voice communications between the pump controller device 360 and a user. That is, the pump controller device 360 includes the speech recognition module 363, the task database 364, and the food and activity database 365; and in addition the remote server 310 includes the speech recognition module 313, the task database 314, and the food and activity database 315. In alternative embodiments, one or more of the sub-systems are located in both the pump controller device 360 and the remote server 310, but not all of the sub-systems are located in both.

Various techniques can be used to coordinate the activities between the pump controller device 360 and the remote server 310 when some or all of the sub-systems are arranged in both the pump controller device 360 and the remote server 310. For example, in some embodiments the processing can be initiated locally at the pump controller device 360, and if the pump controller device 360 is unable to attain the threshold statistical confidence levels for the textual transcription of the voice signal or the task matching (refer to FIG. 1), then the sub-systems of the remote server 310 can be activated to assist the pump controller device 360. If the remote server 310 attains results with higher statistical confidence levels, then the results from the remote server 310 can be used rather than the results from the pump controller device 360. That technique may be beneficial because, for example, the task database 314 and the food and activity database 315 at the remote server 310 may have a larger library of data than the task database 364 and the food and activity database 365 at the pump controller device 360. In another example, processing in the sub-systems of both the pump controller device 360 and the remote server 310 can be initiated concurrently, and whichever completes processing first can be used for presentation to the user. Or, when processing in the sub-systems of both the pump controller device 360 and the remote server 310 are initiated concurrently, the results having the highest statistical confidence level can be used for presentation to the user. It should be understood that many other arrangements for coordinating the activities between the pump controller device 360 and the remote server 310, when some or all of the sub-systems are arranged in both the pump controller device 360 and the remote server 310, are envisioned and within the scope of this disclosure.

The speech recognition modules 363 and 313 are electrical communication with the control module 361. Optionally, the speech recognition modules 363 and 313 can facilitate the operations of an ASR (“automated speech recognition”) system. Using the ASR system, a digitized audio signal of a user voice input can be transcribed to one or more candidate text transcriptions that are correlated to the audio signal. In some embodiments, statistical confidence values for the candidate transcriptions are generated. In particular embodiments, the transcription with the highest confidence value may be selected as the designated transcription by the ASR system. Other ASR techniques may also be used to create transcription(s), and to select which candidate transcription to use as the designated transcription.

The task databases 364 and 314 are electrical communication with the control module 361. The task databases 364 and 314 are data repositories containing textual tasks and code that relate to the operation of the infusion pump system 300. The textual tasks contained in the task databases 364 and 314 can be compared to the textual transcriptions provided from the ASR system in operation in the speech recognition modules 363 and 313. Accordingly, candidate tasks can be identified as matches with voice inputs provided by a user of the infusion pump system 300. In some embodiments, when no matching task is determined that surpasses a statistical confidence threshold value, the infusion pump system 300 may prompt the user for clarification of the voice input.

The food and activity databases 365 and 315 are electrical communication with the control module 361. The food and activity databases 365 and 315 are data repositories containing data and other types of information that can be used to pre-process a task in preparation presentation to the user and in preparation for implementation of the task. For example, in the infusion pump system 10 of FIG. 1 the database 90 contained the nutritional information for the food items (a bagel and orange juice) that the user 15 identified in the statement 16. The nutritional information was used to populate the task that was presented to the user 15 and communicated to the portable pump 60 for execution.

Still referring to FIG. 3, optionally, the pump controller device 360 may also serve as the pump unit for the infusion pump system 300, thereby dispensing medicine from the same housing that contains the control module 361 and other components. In those particular embodiments, the pump controller device 360 can be optionally equipped with an internally housed medicine reservoir and drive system 368 in hardwired electrical communication with the control module 361. Such embodiments of the portable infusion pump system 300 can employ a reusable pump apparatus. Therefore, in those embodiments, the infusion pump system 300 may optionally serve as a reusable device that houses the control module 361 and the integral reservoir and pump drive system 368 within a single housing construct. In those circumstances, the pump controller device 360 can be adapted to slidably receive a medicine cartridge in the form of a carpule that is preloaded with insulin or another medicine, or alternatively can be adapted to have a refillable internal reservoir. The pump drive system 368 can act upon the fluid cartridge to controllably dispense medicine through an infusion set (refer, for example, to infusion set 70 in FIG. 1) and into the user's tissue or vasculature. In this embodiment, the user can wear the pump controller device 360 on the user's skin under clothing or in the user's pocket while receiving the medicine dispensed through the infusion set.

Still referring to FIG. 3, as an alternative to the internally housed medicine reservoir and drive system 368, the infusion pump system 300 can include a separate pump device 370 (including a reservoir and a drive system) that is in communication (wireless communication or a releasable electrical connection) with the pump controller device 360. In these embodiments, the separate pump device 370 can be configured as a disposable and non-reusable pump component while the controller device 360 is configured to be reused with a series of the pump devices 370. In the depicted embodiment shown in FIG. 3, wireless communications are used between the separate pump device 370 and the pump controller device 360, using the wireless communication module 367 in the pump controller device 360. The wireless communications of the wireless communication module 3676 can utilize any of a variety of wireless communication technologies. For example the wireless communication module 367 can employ NFC (near field communication), Bluetooth, RF (radio frequency), infrared, ultrasonic, electromagnetic induction, and the like, and combinations thereof. Alternatively, a releasable electrical connection can be used between the separate pump device 370 and the pump controller device 360 so as to provide hardwired electrical communication between the control module 361 of the controller device 360 and the drive system of the pump device 370. In such embodiments, the separate pump device 370 can be removably attachable with the controller device 360 so that the two housings are mechanically mounted together during dispensation of the medicine from the separate pump device 370.

In brief, in embodiments of the infusion pump system 300 that include the separate pump device 370, the pump controller device 360 may be configured as a reusable component that provides electronics and a user interface to control the operation of the infusion pump system 300, and the separate pump device 370 can be a disposable component that is discarded after a single use. For example, the separate pump device 370 can be a “one time use” component that is thrown away after the fluid cartridge therein is exhausted. Thereafter, the user can wirelessly connect or removably mount a new separate pump device 370 to the reusable pump controller device 360 for the dispensation of a new supply of medicine from the new pump device 370. Accordingly, the user is permitted to reuse the pump controller device 360 (which may include complex or valuable electronics) while disposing of the relatively low-cost separate pump device 370 after each use. Such an infusion pump system 300 can provide enhanced user safety as a new separate pump device 370 is employed with each new fluid cartridge.

Still referring to FIG. 3, the pump controller device 360 can also optionally include an integral blood strip reader 366 mounted therein and being in electrical communication with the control module 361. In such embodiments of the pump controller device 360, test strips (e.g., blood test strips) containing a sample of the user's blood can be inserted into the blood strip reader 366 portion of the pump controller device 360, to be tested for characteristics of the user's blood. The results of the analysis can be used to affect the dosage or schedule of medicine dispensations from the pump controller device 360 to the user as determined by the control module 361. As an alternative to or in addition to the internal blood strip reader 366 housed in the pump controller device 360, the pump controller device 360 can be configured to communicate with an external blood glucose detection device 380, such as a continuous glucose monitor or a handheld blood glucose meter. For example, the test strips (e.g., glucose test strips) containing a sample of the user's blood can be inserted into external handheld blood glucose meter 380, which then analyzes the characteristics of the user's blood and communicates the information (via a wired or wireless connection) to the pump controller device 360. In other embodiments, the user interface 362 of the pump controller device 360 can be employed by the user to manually enter the user's blood glucose information as reported on a screen of a handheld blood glucose meter 380. In still other embodiments, the infusion pump system 300 can include a continuous glucose monitor 380 (as an alternative to or in addition to the internally housed blood strip reader 366) that can continuously monitor characteristics of the user's blood and communicate the information (via a wired or wireless connection) to the pump controller device 360.

Optionally, as shown in FIG. 3, the pump controller device 360 can also optionally include an image recognition module 369. As described in more detail below (e.g., in connection with FIG. 4), the image recognition module 369 can be used as part of an image recognition operation that facilitates efficient communications between the user and the pump controller device 360. The image recognition module can include a digital camera, image storage memory, and one or more programs configured to determine candidate matching images from a user-input image (as described in detail below). In optional embodiments, both the pump controller device 360 and the remote server 310 include the sub-systems for performing image recognition and other operations for facilitating efficient communications between the pump controller device 360 and a user. That is, the pump controller device 360 includes the image recognition module 369, and in addition the remote server 310 includes the image recognition module 319.

Referring now to FIG. 4, some embodiments of an infusion pump system 400 can include image recognition equipment for purposes of receiving and responding to a user's digital image input. The infusion pump system 400 may include, among other elements, a control device 450 and the pump device 60 that receives communications from the control device 450. Similar to the embodiment previously described in connection in FIG. 1, the control device 450 wirelessly communicates with the pump device 60, but the system 400 can be implemented using a control device that is removably attached to a corresponding pump device (e.g., for hard-wired electrical communication) or using a control device that is housed together with the pump device (e.g., in a single portable construct). Optionally, the controller device 450 can be implemented as the same controller device 50 previously described in connection in FIG. 1.

In this example, the infusion pump system 400 can be configured to perform a series of steps A′ through E′ are illustrated that describe operations of an example infusion pump system 400 including with image recognition equipment. By incorporating image recognition capabilities within the infusion pump system 400, user communications with a portable pump 60 can be enhanced and simplified. As a result, the accuracy and completeness of the data entered by the user into the portable pump 60 can be improved, and the user can experience greater convenience and time efficiency. In some embodiments of the infusion pump system 400, speech recognition capabilities (e.g., as described in reference to FIG. 1) can be included along with the image recognition capabilities.

As previously described, the infusion pump system 400 can include the remote control device 450 in electrical communication with the portable pump 60, which is used to supply insulin or another medication to a user via an infusion set 70 attached to and penetrating the user's skin 20. In some embodiments, the portable pump 60 includes the user interface 62 comprised of input devices such as buttons 63 a, 63 b, 64 a, 64 b, 64 c and output devices such as display 65. In addition, in this embodiment the user can communicate with the infusion pump system 400 by providing image input, such as example digital image 440 of a bagel 444 and a serving of orange juice 442. In particular embodiments, the portable pump 60 may also include the wireless communications circuit 40 that facilitates short-range wireless communications 45 between the internal control circuitry of the portable pump 60 and the external remote control device 450. As with the previously described system 10 of FIG. 1, the infusion pump system 400 is configured to controllably dispense a medicine to be infused into the tissue or vasculature of a targeted individual, such as a human or animal patient.

Still referring to FIG. 4, in this example at step A′, the remote control device 450 is used to take a photographic image 440 (e.g., a digital photo) of a bagel 444 and a serving of orange juice 442 that the user is going to consume. As will be described further, the infusion pump system 400 will receive and process the image 440 and recommend a bolus dispensation of insulin to compensate for the bagel 444 and orange juice 442 to be consumed by the user. In some embodiments, a reference object of known size is optionally included in the photographic image 440 to assist with estimating the quantity of food items in the image 440. Examples of such reference objects include the user's hand or finger, a business card, a coin, an insulin pump, and the like.

In this embodiment, the image 440 is received by a digital camera system 459 housed in the remote control device 450. The remote control device 450 includes electronic circuitry for digitizing the image 440 into pixels. The digitized image can be stored (permanently or temporarily) in a computer-readable memory device of the remote control device 450. In other embodiments, the image 440 can be received by a digital camera system 69 housed in the pump device 60, and the image can be stored in a computer-readable memory device of the remote control device 60.

In this embodiment the control device 450 is depicted as a smart phone device, but it should be understood from the description herein that, in other embodiments, the control device 450 can be implemented in the form of devices other than a smart phone device. Some other example devices that can be used similarly to the remote control device 450 can include, but are not limited to, a personal computer, a tablet computing device, a blood glucose meter device (e.g., an external blood strip reader), a continuous glucose meter device, a wearable computing device (e.g., glasses equipped with a camera and computer network connectivity), a PDA, a digital camera, or a custom remote device. In still other embodiments, the control device is not a remote device, but instead is included as part of, or mechanically attached together with, the pump device. For instance, in such embodiments the pump device of the infusion pump system can be equipped with the capabilities to perform the functions described herein in regard to the remote control device 450. Further, in some embodiments certain operations or parts of certain operations may be performed at a remote server system, including a cloud-based server system, rather than completely on a personal computing device such as the remote control device 450. Accordingly, the remote control device 450, or equivalent, can be connected to a network such as the internet or an intranet system. Such a division of tasks may provide better process optimization, computational efficiency, and response time.

Still referring to FIG. 4, in this example at step B′, image recognition is performed in response to receiving the digital file of image 440. For example, in response to the receipt of the image 440, the control device 450 can perform an image recognition function so as to determine that the food items depicted in the image 440 include a bagel and a glass of orange juice. In one implementation, the digital file of image 440 is matched to one or more candidate images (e.g., model images of food items or other items) from an image database 480. The image database 480 can be stored in a computer-readable memory device of the remote control device 450, stored in a computer-readable memory device of the portable pump 60, stored in a computer-readable memory device of a remote server system in communication with the remote control device 450, or a combination thereof. The image recognition process can be performed at the remote control device 450 or portable pump 60, at the remote server, or at both the remote control device 450 or portable pump 60 and the remote server. Performing the image recognition at a remote server may provide better process optimization, computational efficiency, and response time due to the high level of data processing power required for efficient image recognition—but it is not a requirement to perform the image recognition at a remote server.

In this embodiment, the control device 450 is equipped with an image recognition module (refer, for example, to element 369 in FIG. 3) that is configured to compare the digital file of image 440 with digital files of images that are stored in the image database 480. This process can result in finding candidate matching images. Each image is composed of pixels that are expressed as a series of numbers. One approach to matching the images to use the image recognition module to search for patterns and sequences in numerical data that make up the digital files. If the image recognition module can identify similar numerical series in multiple images, it can recognize that the images may be all of the same subject. In some embodiments, a statistical confidence level can be calculated in regard to the candidate matching images. In particular embodiments, the image with the highest confidence value may be selected by the image recognition system as the designated matching image. Other techniques may also be used to select which candidate image to use as the designated matching image. For example, in some embodiments statistical priority can be given to foods that the user has previously utilized the image recognition technique to identify. In some circumstances, no candidate image having a confidence value that surpasses a threshold confidence level is identified. In some such circumstances, the remote control device 450 may request clarification from the user, or may request more information from the user (such as another photograph from a different perspective or using different lighting). Such requests may be presented to the user audibly using voice synthesis at the remote control device 450, or visually by presenting an indication on the display of the remote control device 450, or by a combination of audible and visual indicators.

Still referring to FIG. 4, in this example at step C′, nutritional information of the food in the image 440 is obtained from database 490, and a recommended bolus dispensation is calculated. In some embodiments, the calculation of the recommended bolus dispensation can take into account the user's preferred dispensation method, such as a fast bolus, a timed bolus (with preferred time of delivery), or a combination bolus (including a preferred division between a present and an upcoming timed dispensation, and the preferred duration of the upcoming timed dispensation). The database 490, as with the image database 480, can be stored in one or more computer-readable memory devices at various locations including at the remote control device 450, the portable pump 60, a remote server system including cloud-based servers, or at a combination of such locations. As depicted by this example, the database 490 can contain nutritional information for a variety of food items. The nutritional information can include, but is not limited to, carbohydrates, fat, protein, and the glycemic index for food items. In some embodiments, the database 490 can also include the user's most current blood glucose reading, an insulin-on-board level, an insulin sensitivity factor for the user, and the like. In particular embodiments, some or all of such nutritional information and other data can be considered when the task is being prepared for presentation to the user. For example, in response to the receipt of the image 440, the bagel's nutritional information 492 and orange juice's nutritional information 494 can be queried from the database 490. In some embodiments, the data stored in database 490 is customizable by the user as described above in regard to database 90 of FIG. 1. The user's custom nutritional information can be given preference in the database 490 over the default nutritional information. In some embodiments, as part of the preparation for presenting the task to the user, the user may first be presented with a request for additional information. For example, the user may be presented with a request to input a current blood glucose level. After the receipt of such addition information, the preparation for presenting the task to the user can be completed.

In some embodiments, step C′ can be performed as follows. The candidate matching images selected from the image database 480 as determined by the image recognition process of step B′ can have metadata associated therewith. The metadata can identify the type of food in the image(s) (e.g., a bagel and a serving of orange juice). Using such metadata, the nutritional information for the food types can be queried from the database 490. The nutritional information obtained from the database 490 can be used in computations—along with other parameters such as the user's most current blood glucose reading, an insulin-on-board level, an insulin sensitivity factor for the user, and the like—to determine a recommended bolus dispensation. The descriptions of the food items identified as matching the image 440, and the recommended associated bolus can then be characterized in preparation for presentation to the user (for subsequent user confirmation).

Still referring to FIG. 4, in this example at step D′, the task is presented to the user for confirmation that the task is what the user 15 desires. The task may be presented to the user audibly using voice synthesis at the remote control device 450, or visually by presenting an indication on the display of the remote control device 450, or by a combination of audible and visual indicators. For example, in response to the image 440, the user is presented with information indicating that the infusion pump system 400 has identified a task related to the user's intent to consume 74 grams of carbohydrates (48 grams from the bagel and 26 grams from the orange juice), and that the infusion pump system 400 recommends a corresponding bolus dispensation of 4.9 Units of insulin. To confirm that task, the user can select “YES” 452 on the remote control device 450. In response to a selection of the “YES” button 452, the control device 450 can communicate with the pump device 60 so as to initiate the dispensation of the bolus dosage (e.g., 4.9 Units in this example), as described below. Or to deny that task, the user can select “NO” 454 on the remote control device 450. Optionally, in response to a selection of the “NO” button 454, the control device 450 can present the user with an option to manually input or verbally speak a specific number for a bolus dosage that is different from the suggested dosage displayed on the screen at step E. Alternatively, or in addition to, the manual selection of “YES” 452 or “NO” 454, the user may speak “yes” or “no” to the remote control device 450 to confirm or deny the task presented.

In this example at step E′, the remote control device 450 communicates the task to the portable pump 60 for activation of the portable pump 60 in accordance with the task confirmed by the user (e.g., after the user selected the “YES” button 452). In the example, the display 65 of the portable pump 60 indicates that a bolus dispensation of 4.9 Units has been initiated. In this embodiment, communications between the remote control device 450 and the portable pump 60 are conducted by short-range wireless technologies such as, but not limited to, RF, Bluetooth, NFC, IR, and the like. Accordingly, the portable pump 60 can include a wireless communication circuit 40 that sends and receives data in cooperation with the remote control device 450. In alternative embodiments, the communications between the remote control device 450 and the portable pump 60 can be via a hardwired connection therebetween.

In another embodiment, rather than (or in addition to) using photographic image recognition to ascertain nutritional information for food to be consumed, a portable spectroscope scanner system can be used to ascertain nutritional information for food to be consumed. In this technique, a user can scan food items to be consumed using a portable spectroscope scanner. The spectroscope scanner will create a spectrograph of the food items that can be analyzed to determine nutritional information of the food items. Some spectroscope scanner systems may utilize a reference material placed next to the food for calibration as part of routine use or occasionally.

In some embodiments, the spectroscope scanner transmits the spectrograph data to another processing device that operates a spectrograph analysis application that can be run to determine the nutritional information of the food that was scanned. Such processing devices can include a cloud-based computer system or a local computing device, such as a smartphone, tablet PC, desktop PC, an infusion pump, and the like. In some embodiments, the spectroscope scanner may be able to determine the nutritional information of the food that was scanned without the assistance of another processing device. In particular embodiments, as part of the analysis of the spectrograph, statistical priority can be given to foods that the user has previously utilized the spectrograph analysis technique to identify. The processing device that analyzes the spectrograph can determine the nutritional information and then transmit the nutritional information to the remote control device 450. The remote control device 450 can display the nutritional information to the user, and display a prompt by which the user can initiate a corresponding bolus dispensation via the portable infusion pump 60, in a manner analogous to that described above.

Referring now to FIG. 5, some embodiments of an infusion pump system 500 can include natural language processing (“NLP”) capabilities for purposes of receiving and responding to a user's voice input. The infusion pump system 500 may include, among other elements, a control device 550 and the pump device 60 that receives communications from the control device 550. Similar to the embodiment previously described in connection in FIG. 1, the control device 550 wirelessly communicates with the pump device 60, but the system 500 can be implemented using a control device that is removably attached to a corresponding pump device (e.g., for hard-wired electrical communication) or using a control device that is housed together with the pump device (e.g., in a single portable construct). Optionally, the controller device 550 can be implemented as the same controller device 50 previously described in connection in FIG. 1.

In this example, the infusion pump system 400 can be configured to perform a series of steps A″ through G″ are illustrated that describe operations of an example infusion pump system 500 equipped with natural language processing (“NLP”) technology. Using NLP, the infusion pump system 500 is capable of receiving instructions from a user 515 via natural language input. One or more NLP algorithms can be stored in the computer-readable memory device in as part of a speech recognition module (refer, for example, to module 363 in FIG. 3), including machine learning algorithms for language processing. By incorporating NLP capabilities within the infusion pump system 500, user communications with a portable pump 60 can be enhanced and simplified. As a result, the accuracy and completeness of the data entered by the user 515 into the portable pump 60 can be improved, and the user 515 can experience greater convenience and time efficiency.

Similar to previously described embodiments, the infusion pump system 500 can include the remote control device 550 in electrical communication with the portable pump 60 that is used to supply insulin or another medication to a user 515 via an infusion set 70 attached to and penetrating the user's skin 20. In particular embodiments, the portable pump 60 may also include the wireless communications circuit 40 that facilitates short-range wireless communications 545 between the internal control circuitry of the portable pump 60 and the external remote control device 550.

As an alternative to, or in conjunction with, pressing one or more buttons 63 a, 63 b, 64 a, 64 b, and 64 c of the user interface 62 to communicate with the infusion pump system 500, the example infusion pump system 500 can receive natural language voice input from the user 515. The use of NLP technology provides an additional functionality that can enhance and simplify user 515 interactions with the portable pump 60. For instance, using natural language equipment (which may optionally a microphone 551 or 61 and a corresponding NLP software program implemented by the system 500), the need for user activation of multiple buttons 63 a, 63 b, 64 a, 64 b, and 64 c for shuffling through menus may be eliminated or otherwise reduced in some circumstances. In addition, using NLP equipment, the capabilities of the infusion pump system 500 can extend beyond those that are accessible via the user interface 62. In one such example, as depicted in FIG. 5, the user 515 of infusion pump system 500 has ascertained that his or her blood glucose level is above normal at 220 mg/dl. As such, the user is concerned and desires to initiate appropriate measures to cause his or her blood glucose to reduce to a normal level.

Still referring to FIG. 4, in this example at step A″, the user 515 speaks a natural language statement 516 that reflects a question or concern that the user 15 wants the infusion pump system 10 to respond to. In this example, the user 515 speaks the statement 516, “My blood glucose is 220, what do I do?” As will be described further, the infusion pump system 500 will receive and process the statement 516 and recommend a bolus dispensation of insulin to correct the user's 515 high blood glucose level.

In this example, the user 515 has made a statement 516 that identifies the user's 515 blood glucose level, but many other types of statements corresponding to other tasks, questions, or concerns can be similarly initiated using natural language voice input. For instance, in other non-limiting examples such statements can include “I am going for a 45 minute jog,” “tell me about my last bolus,” “how long have I been wearing this infusion set,” “what do I do about the current alarm,” or “how much insulin is left in my reservoir?” It should be recognized from the description herein that the user 515 can provide a wide variety of types of statements to initiate a wide variety of responses by the infusion pump system 500, and that the examples provided here are merely illustrative.

The natural language statement 516 is received by the microphone 551 of the control device 550. The remote control device 550 can include electronic circuitry for converting the statement 516 to an audio signal (e.g., an “audio file,” “waveform,” or “sample”) that corresponds to the statement 516. The audio signal corresponding to the statement 516 can be saved in the memory of the remote control device 550. In other embodiments, the natural language statement can be received by the microphone 61 housed in the pump device 60.

In this embodiment the control device 550 is depicted as a smart phone device, but it should be understood from the description herein that, in other embodiments, the control device 550 can be implemented in the form of devices other than a smart phone device. Some other example devices that can be used similarly to the remote control device 550 can include, but are not limited to, a personal computer, a tablet computing device, a blood glucose meter device (e.g., an external blood strip reader), a continuous glucose meter device, a wearable computing device, a PDA, or a custom remote device. In still other embodiments, the control device is not a remote device, but instead is included as part of, or mechanically attached together with, the pump device. For instance, in such embodiments the pump device of the infusion pump system can be equipped with the capabilities to perform the functions described herein in regard to the remote control device 550. Further, in some embodiments certain NLP operations or parts of certain NLP operations may be performed at a remote server system, including a cloud-based server system, rather than completely on a personal computing device such as the remote control device 550. Accordingly, the remote control device 550, or equivalent, can be connected to a network such as the internet or an intranet system. Such a division of tasks may provide better process optimization, computational efficiency, and response time.

Still referring to FIG. 4, in this example at step B″, speech recognition is performed in response to receiving the voice input. This step is performed as described in step B of FIG. 1. A text transcription of the statement 516 is generated and stored (temporarily or permanently) in the computer-readable memory device of the control device 550, of the pump device 60, of the remote server system, or a combination thereof.

In this example at step C″, the text transcription(s) of the speech recognition process from step B″ is processed using a NLP program executed by the control device 550, the pump device 60, the remote server system, or a combination thereof to determine the likely meaning of the statement 516 and how the infusion pump system 500 should respond. In some cases, in addition to processing the text transcription(s) using NLP, the text transcription(s) is compared to a compilation of tasks or queries in a natural language search engine database 580 to determine the task most likely represented by the statement 516. In some embodiments, the natural language search engine database 580 is stored in the computer-readable memory device of the remote control device 550. However, the natural language search engine database 580 can also be stored in the computer-readable memory device in the portable pump 60, stored in the computer-readable memory device of a remote server system in communication with the remote control device 550 or the portable pump 60, or stored in computer-readable memory devices at a combination of such locations. In this embodiment, the natural language search engine database 580 is a storage repository that is programmed to contain an extensive number of tasks and queries that correspond to a variety of types of user voice input statements, such as statement 516. The transcription(s) of the voice input from step B″ can be compared to the tasks stored in the natural language search engine database 580 to find matching tasks or queries. In some embodiments, a confidence level for the match between the transcription(s) and the task(s) or queries can be determined. The task or query with the highest confidence level can be selected. In particular embodiments, if no task query has such a confidence level that surpasses a threshold level, or if multiple tasks or queries have confidence levels that are within a differentiation threshold level of each other, the user 515 is presented with a request for clarification or more information as described above. In some such cases, the user 515 may be presented with the task or query having the highest confidence level and the user 515 may be asked whether that task is what the user 515 wants the infusion pump system 500 to perform.

Still referring to FIG. 4, in this example at step D″, a response to the selected task or query from step C″ is characterized in preparation for presentation to the user 515 (e.g., for subsequent user confirmation). Depending on the task or query, additional information may be acquired from a disease management database 590 as a part of the preparation step. The disease management database 590, as with the natural language search engine database 580, can be stored in one or more computer-readable memory devices at various locations including at the remote control device 550, the portable pump 60, a remote server including cloud-based servers, and at a combination of such locations. As depicted by this example, the disease management database 590 can contain types of data that are related to the user's 515 health and metabolic status. The data can include, but is not limited to, blood glucose level, insulin sensitivity, weight, insulin on board (“JOB”), and food on board (“FOB”). In some embodiments, the disease management database 590 can also include the user's 515 most current blood glucose reading, an insulin-on-board level, an insulin sensitivity factor for the user 515, and the like. In particular embodiments, some or all of such information and other data can be considered when the task or query is being prepared for presentation to the user 515. For example, in response to the statement 516, the insulin sensitivity, weight, IOB and FOB can be queried from the disease management database 590. In some embodiments, the data stored in disease management database 590 is customizable by the user 515. For example, the user 515 may input a particular insulin sensitivity factor that reflects the user's 515 insulin sensitivity. The user's 515 custom data can be given preference in the disease management database 590 over the default data. In some embodiments, as part of the preparation for presenting the task to the user 515, the user 515 may first be presented with a request for additional information. For example, the user 515 may be presented with a request to input nutritional information of food items consumed in the past few hours. After the receipt of such addition information, the preparation for presenting the task to the user 515 can be completed.

In this example at step E″, the task or query is presented to the user 515 for confirmation that the task or query is what the user 515 desires. The task or query may be presented to the user 515 audibly using voice synthesis at the remote control device 550, or visually by presenting an indication on the display of the remote control device 550, or by a combination of audible and visual indicators. For example, in response to the statement 516, the user 515 is presented with information indicating that the infusion pump system 500 recommends a correction bolus dispensation of 5.5 Units of insulin. To confirm that task, the user 515 can select “YES” 552 on the remote control device 550. In response to a selection of the “YES” button 552, the control device 550 can communicate with the pump device 60 so as to initiate the dispensation of the bolus dosage (e.g., 4.9 Units in this example), as described below. Or to deny that task, the user 515 can select “NO” 554 on the remote control device 550. Optionally, in response to a selection of the “NO” button 554, the control device 550 can present the user with an option to manually input or verbally speak a specific number for a bolus dosage that is different from the suggested dosage displayed on the screen at step E. Alternatively, or in addition to, the manual selection of “YES” 552 or “NO” 554, the user 515 may speak “yes” or “no” to the remote control device 550 to confirm or deny the task presented. At step F″, the remote control device 550 receives such user confirmation.

At step G″, the remote control device 550 communicates the task to the portable pump 60 for activation of the portable pump 60 in accordance with the task confirmed by the user 515 (e.g., after the user selected the “YES” button 552). In the example, the display 65 of the portable pump 60 indicates that a bolus dispensation of 5.5 Units has been initiated. In this embodiment, communications between the remote control device 550 and the portable pump 60 are conducted by short-range wireless technologies such as, but not limited to, RF, Bluetooth, NFC, IR, and the like. Accordingly, the portable pump 60 can include a wireless communication circuit 40 that sends and receives data in cooperation with the remote control device 550. In alternative embodiments, the communications between the remote control device 550 and the portable pump 60 can be via a hardwired connection therebetween.

A number of embodiments of the invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of controlling a portable infusion pump system, comprising: receiving a voice input from a user that is indicative of a task associated with using a portable infusion pump system by a smartphone including a microphone, wherein the voice input comprises a user estimate of an amount of carbohydrates that has been or will be consumed by the user and an instruction to deliver a bolus; analyzing the received voice input to determine at least one textual transcript corresponding to the voice input; identifying, using the at least one textual transcript, at least one of (i) a food item indicated by the voice input, and (ii) a numerical value of the amount of carbohydrates that has been or will be consumed by the user; calculating, in response to receiving the voice input, a suggested bolus dosage using the user estimate of the amount of carbohydrates and information about a recent blood glucose level, insulin sensitivity, insulin-on-board, and food-on-board for the user; in response to receiving the voice input, displaying, via the smartphone, the suggested bolus dosage and the identified at least one of (i) the food item indicated by the voice input, and (ii) the numerical value of the amount of carbohydrates that has been or will be consumed by the user, wherein the suggested bolus dosage and the at least one of (i) the food item indicated by the voice input, and (ii) the numerical value of the amount of carbohydrates that has been or will be consumed by the user are displayed simultaneously as part of a single user interface display; prompting the user via the smartphone to either confirm the initiation of the suggested bolus dosage or to deny the delivery of the suggested bolus dosage through manual interaction with a touchscreen or one or more buttons of the smartphone, wherein if the user denies the suggested bolus dosage the user is presented with an option to manually input or verbally speak a specific number of units for a bolus dosage via the smartphone; and controlling the portable infusion pump system to initiate the confirmed suggested bolus dosage or the manually input or verbally spoken bolus dosage, wherein the smartphone is configured to wirelessly communicate with a wireless communication device connected to control circuitry of a pump drive system.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice input comprises a specific name or type of food that the user will consume.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the smartphone is further adapted to take a photograph of a soon-to-be-consumed meal and use the photograph to determine a suggested bolus dosage. 